Source: Joe Raedle / Getty
An Atlanta cop was fired after a decision to tase a 62-year-old Black man during a dispute over a traffic ticket that led to his death.
According to AP, after an internal investigation, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum fired Officer Kiran Kimbrough on Tuesday for his actions during the August 10 arrest of Johnny Hollman Sr., which led to Hollman’s death.
“Part of my job is to assess, evaluate, and adjust how this police department is carrying out its sworn mission to serve and protect the citizens of this city,” Schierbaum said in a statement to AP. “I understand the difficult and dangerous job that our officers do each and every day throughout the city. I do not arrive at these decisions lightly.”
On Monday, the family of Johnny Hollman met with prosecutors and according to their attorney Mawuli Davis, they have seen the video of the incident and believe Officer Kiran Kimbrough should be charged with murder.
Davis also said that he was told by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis that the video would be released to the public later this week after all the witnesses had been interviewed.
“It’s not a question of if it will be released,” Davis told reporters after the meeting. “It’s now a question of when and how soon.”
According to the family, on August 10, Johnny Hollman had just finished bible study when he left his daughter’s home and was on the way home to take his wife to dinner.
Shortly after he was involved in a minor car accident and called 911. After waiting for over an hour, Officer Kimbrough arrived on the scene to assess the situation. Kimbrough decided that Hollman was at fault and issued him a traffic ticket. Upset, Hollman asked to speak to Kimbrough’s sergeant and the officer ignored him, telling him if he didn’t sign the ticket he would be taken to jail. Hollman’s family says he told Officer Kimbrough he would sign the ticket, but the officer still grabbed him, took him to the ground, and began tasing him.
Hollman also allegedly the officer “I Can’t Breathe” as many as sixteen times.
Johnny Hollman Sr became unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at Grady Hospital.
His family remembers him as a deacon, husband, father, and grandfather.
Kimbrough, who is black, claims he shocked Hollman with the stun gun after Hollman “became agitated and uncooperative.” He had been on administrative leave before his firing.
No decision has been made on whether to bring charges against former officer Kiran Kimbrough.
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